I keep reading how the schools want our children in order to get more money, but I don't see how that is possible. We actually save the schools money because they don't have to teach them. THe money from the state still goes to them, and the tax dollars still go to them, but they don't have to pay for our children's books, and supplies, and special needs, if we choose not to use those services. So my question, is how do people think that the schools want our children to stay in school for the money?

Because the amount of money a school district received from state and Federal dollars is based on enrollment. The more students they have attending the more money they receive. This is the reason some school close when enough kids are out sick, because it ends up costing them more to pay the power and salaries then the amount they will get from the government for the number of kids at school that day.

That's also why they're so psycho about attendance. Every child-day is worth at least $20 (often significantly more if they're better funded), so they stand to lose quite a chunk of money if every child misses even a week or two of school. Of course, this sometimes backfires - kids are so motivated to get the prize for perfect attendance that they show up sick and infect everyone else. Schools are a great place for catching something.

Is this true of all states? When I was on the school committee, we talked about how many children, but never about attendance. The schools actually seemed relieved that some families had chosen to homeschool, of course they were worried that they would choose a charter school, and that costs a lot of money to the school.

And considering that only 40-60% of the funding the schools get for each child makes it into the classroom, there's lots of money that goes to the beauracracy that is the public school system. The more kids they have, the more they can fund that money sink. Getting all the money they can is not about providing more services or a better education to the students.

Yes, we are saving them money by not having to provide all the overhead costs for our students, but the costs they incur educating our kids is less than the amount of money from the state so they're actually losing money, which is why they get their bloomers in a bunch so often over homeschooling and "unexcused" absences.

To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.